The present invention relates to a vehicle wireless data communication system, and more particularly to a vehicle wireless data communication system in which when a portable device approaches to a position within a communication range of a vehicle carried device, a wireless link is automatically set up.
A vehicle wireless data communication system, of late, is proposed which contains a vehicle carried computer, and a combination of it with multi-media devices, such as an audio device, a navigation device, and an automatic toll paying device.
The proposed data communication system is arranged such that a portable device, e.g., a portable telephone set, is interconnected with a vehicle carried computer, and data communication is carried out between those devices.
Two communication connection systems, one based on the wire connection and the other based on the wireless connection by infrared rays, have practically been used for the mutual communication between the portable device and the vehicle carried computer. Both the communication connection systems need connection devices each called a cradle. Where the cradle is used, a user must set the portable telephone to the cradle every time he gets in a car, and must remove the portable telephone from it every time he gets off the car. Accordingly, the use of the cradle is insufficient in convenience.
In the communication connection system using the infrared rays for data exchange, it is necessary, in use, to align the optical axis of the transmitter side with that of the receiving side. This is awkward in use.
This type of the computer is generally expensive. Accordingly, a system to protect the computer against the burglar is proposed. The proposed system uses a pass word. Even if the power switch of the computer is turned on, the computer will not operate normally unless a correct pass word is entered.
The proposed system, however, requires troublesome work of entering the pass word every time the use gets in the car.
To cope with this, a burglarproof device has practically been used. This device uses a device operation plate, called a face plate. In use, the user removes the portable device from it when he gets off the car. When getting to the car, the portable device is set to it again. With use of this device, it is prevented that only the computer unit is stolen. The burglarproof device needs a number of connection wires for connecting the face plate to the computer unit for their mutual communication. A connector having a number of pins is consequently required. The burglarproof device has many disadvantages. Poor contact trouble will occur. The multi-pin connector is expensive. Great spatial limitation is present in installing the face plate.
As the result of the advent of the vehicle carried computer, various systems utilizing the vehicle carried computers are proposed in recent years. A proposed system is an emergency reporting system in which when a traffic accident occurs, the accident is reported to a service center by the utilization of the telephone function. Another proposed system is a payment system which allows the user to electronically pay tolls and the prices at expressways, gas stations, drive-through fast food restaurants and the like, in a drive-through manner.
In those systems, it is very important that the device operation is simple since the user must operate the device while driving the car.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle wireless data communication system which allows mutual communication between the portable device and the vehicle carried device, which the system is improved in that the device operation is simple.
A first vehicle wireless data communication system of the invention comprises: a portable device including wireless data communication means and storing means for storing a network setting-up code; and a vehicle carried device including wireless data communication means and storing means for storing a network setting-up code corresponding to the network setting-up code of the portable device, wherein when the portable device approaches to a position within a communication range of the vehicle carried device, an inquiry communication is carried out to compare the network setting-up codes for verification, and when the network setting-up codes are coincident with each other, a wireless link is set up and the vehicle carried device is rendered active (aspect 1).
In a second vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when the vehicle carried device is rendered active, a burglarproof lock system of the vehicle carried device is removed (aspect 2).
In a third vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when the portable device has a telephone function, if a call is terminated, a hands free mode is automatically set up (aspect 3).
In a fourth vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when the portable device has a telephone function and an emergency reporting service connection function, self vehicle position data, which is detected by a GPS of the vehicle carried computer, is automatically sent to the portable device, and the portable device connects to an emergency reporting service (aspect 4).
In a fifth vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when the portable device has a PDA (personal information assist device, electronic notebook and the like) function, the portable device makes a data exchange of schedule data, personal information, stored digital information and the like with the vehicle carried device (aspect 5).
In a sixth vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when the portable device has a PDA (personal information assist device, electronic notebook and the like) function, the portable device sends at least part of personal information, such as credit card information and electronic money information, contained in the portable device, to the vehicle carried device, and in the payment operation at a tollgate of expressway, gas station and the like, payment is carried out based on a verification of the personal identification data by data exchange between the vehicle carried computer and the portable device (aspect 6).
In a seventh vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the first vehicle wireless data communication system, when a wireless link is not set up, an intermittent inquiry communication, triggered from the vehicle carried device, is carried out (aspect 7).
In an eighth vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the seventh vehicle wireless data communication system, the intermittent inquiry communication is started upon detection of a voltage applied in association with an operation of a vehicle engine key (aspect 8).
In a ninth vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the seventh vehicle wireless data communication system, the intermittent inquiry communication is started in response to an output signal of a vehicle door opening/closing switch or an output signal of a getting-to-vehicle detecting sensor, such as a seat weight sensor or an infrared rays sensor (aspect 9).
A tenth vehicle wireless data communication system comprises: a portable device including wireless data communication means and storing means for storing a network setting-up code; and a vehicle carried device including wireless data communication means and storing means for storing a network setting-up code corresponding to the network setting-up code of the portable device, wherein when the portable device approaches to a position within a communication range of the vehicle carried device, an inquiry communication is carried out to compare the network setting-up codes for verification, and when the network setting-up codes are coincident with each other, a wireless link is set up, and when personal identification codes are coincident with each other, the vehicle carried device is rendered active (aspect 10).
In an 11th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to tenth vehicle wireless data communication systems, when the vehicle carried device is rendered active, the active state of the vehicle carried device is audibly output (aspect 11).
In a 12th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 11th vehicle wireless data communication systems, when the vehicle carried device is rendered active, a message based on personal information recorded in advance is output (aspect 12).
In a 13th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 12th vehicle wireless data communication systems, when the vehicle carried device is rendered active, a custom operation of the vehicle carried device, which is based on personal information recorded in advance is output, is set (aspect 13).
In a 14th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 13th vehicle wireless data communication systems, when the vehicle carried device is rendered active, a time that the vehicle carried device is rendered active is stored (aspect 14).
In a 15th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 14th vehicle wireless data communication systems, the wireless data communication means has a network communication function (aspect 15).
In a 16th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 15th vehicle wireless data communication systems, a plurality of network setting-up codes are contained, and different setting-up information are assigned to the plurality of network setting-up codes, respectively (aspect 16).
In a 17th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 16th, the plurality of network setting-up codes are associated with device operation limits (aspect 17).
In a 18th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 17th vehicle wireless data communication systems, the portable device moves out of a communication range of the vehicle carried device, the wireless link is disconnected and the vehicle carried device is turned off (aspect 18).
In a 19th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 18th vehicle wireless data communication systems, the portable device moves out of a communication range of the vehicle carried device, the wireless link is disconnected and a burglarproof lock is set (aspect 19).
In a 20th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 19th vehicle wireless data communication systems, the portable device moves out of a communication range of the vehicle carried device, the wireless link is disconnected and part of the personal information which was set when the wireless link is set up (aspect 20).
In a 21st vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 20th, the portable device moves out of a communication range of the vehicle carried device, the wireless link is disconnected and a time that the portable device is out of the communication range is stored (aspect 21).
In a 22nd vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from any of the first to 21st vehicle wireless data communication systems, the portable device is a removable face plate of the vehicle carried device (aspect 22).
In a 23rd vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the 22nd vehicle wireless data communication system, the face plate has a wireless telephone function (aspect 23).
In a 24th vehicle wireless data communication system which depends from the 22nd vehicle wireless data communication system, the face plate has a personal information recording function (aspect 24).